Moving to Vietnam from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Vietnam? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Vietnam, you would find that Vietnam is 33.3% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly ₫1,260,000,000 in Vietnam to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ho Chi Minh City averages 91°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Vietnam cheaper than South Africa?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 65.4% less
Groceries
pay 12.1% less
Transportation
pay 53.5% less
Housing
pay 30.5% less
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Vietnam?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → ₫1,260,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Vietnam
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Vietnam cost about 20% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Vietnam compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Vietnam performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Africa generally does better on environment, though Vietnam leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Vietnam generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Vietnam generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Vietnam vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 94°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 91°/77°F (33°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Can you move from South Africa to Vietnam?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Vietnam. To live, work, or study long-term in Vietnam, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Vietnam's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Vietnam passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Vietnam than South Africa?
On average Vietnam is about 33% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vietnam?
Budget about ₫315,000,000 for 3 months in Vietnam (based on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Vietnam?
Connectivity is usually fine (Vietnam: 23.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Vietnam offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Vietnam safe for expats?
Vietnam performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vietnam is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to South Africa?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 11.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Ho Chi Minh City is 91°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Ho Chi Minh City receives around 65.1 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Vietnam
At a Glance
ZA
|
VN
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 101,598,527 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Vietnamese Dong (₫) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Vietnamese |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +84 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 113 |